I am from New York State, where I received my undergraduate degree in Science of Natural and Environmental Systems from Cornell University. My interest is in ecosystem response to global change at various scales. I completed my honors thesis on competition between fountain grass (an invasive species in Hawaii) and pili grass under varying nutrient availability. I am shifting to soil science for my PhD, during which I will be working with Rich Conant and Matt Wallenstein to study the temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition.